The MTS Teen Emotional Literacy Tour DMV Stop: A Weekend Recap

Thania Trieu
5 days ago
3 min read

A few weeks ago, we told you registration was open and seats were filling up. This week, we get to tell you what happened next.

On August 8–9, 2026, teens from across the DMV gathered at the University of North America in Fairfax, VA for two immersive days with Motivating the Teen Spirit (MTS) Co-Founder Lisa Nichols and Program Director Jelani Nichols — and the room delivered exactly what we hoped it would: real tools, real breakthroughs, and real teens choosing to grow through pressure instead of around it.

Let's be honest — it wasn't an easy weekend to show up for. With school right around the corner and last-minute vacations pulling families in every direction, many teens walked in not really wanting to be there. But by the end of the weekend, so many of them said the opposite: they were glad they came, they had fun, they made new friends, they walked away with emotional literacy tools they didn't have before — and they wanted to come back, next time with a friend in two.

That shift, from reluctant to grateful, is exactly the work. Teens built communication skills, practiced self-trust, and learned how to hold confidence under pressure — the same emotional literacy work that has powered MTS programming for 28 years.

Why This Weekend Was Different

This wasn't just a program stop for us. What Motivating The Teen Spirit, Let Her Shine and the DMV Volunteer team helped kick off this weekend as the inaugural remote stops of the entire MTS National Tour — the very beginning of something incredible is now carrying forward to teens in city after city. Atlanta and Dallas are next. But it started here, with our teens, in our community.

Graduation Night

The weekend culminated the way it always does — with the moment we can't stop talking about. On Sunday evening, teens stepped forward to share, in their own words, what they discovered about themselves over the two days. Families, community leaders, and partners filled the room to witness it. Tears were shed and the tissues got used.

Like diamonds, our teens shine brightest when they're given the tools to grow through pressure. On August 9th, we watched that happen in real time — reluctance and all.

The Village That Made It Possible

None of this happens without the village that showed up behind it. As Lead Community Partner, Let Her Shine is deeply grateful to every community partner, local business, and earth angel across the DMV who said yes to investing in our teens. No amount was too small; every contribution helped fuel a weekend of deep personal development for the teens.

With heartfelt thanks to:

🏫 University of North America — our venue partner, who opened their campus to teens, families, and volunteers all weekend

🍽️ Wegmans, Silver Diner, Whole Foods, Anna Sudha Community Kitchens, Applebee's, Red Robin, Starbucks, and Chick-fil-A — for nourishing our teens and volunteers throughout the event

🎂 Nothing Bundt Cakes — for adding sweetness to the teens' graduation celebration

🎁 Target and Walmart — for your generous gift cards, which helped us gather supplies and materials for the weekend

👓 True Vision — for investing in our teens for a clearer vision of who they are

We're also deeply grateful to the volunteers who served with heart and passion all weekend, who traveled from across the country to be in that room.

What's Next

The MTS National Tour has now moved on to Atlanta (August 22–23), with Dallas to follow (October 3–4). We're already looking ahead to bringing the tour back to the DMV — and when we do, you'll hear it from us first.

To our teens: thank you for showing up, even when you didn't want to, and for letting yourselves be surprised. To the parents, thank you for trusting your teens with us. To our community parters: thank you for making it possible.

It truly takes a village. Thank you to everyone who was part of ours.